High School Football: Breakers upset by Godinez

SANTA ANA — A week ago, Laguna Beach got beat at the pass. Thursday at Segerstrom High, the Breakers had no answer for the run.

Godinez scored six rushing touchdowns, four coming in the second half, and the Grizzlies overcame an early 10-point deficit to pull away to a 46-24 Orange Coast League victory over the Breakers.

The loss was the second straight for Laguna in league play. Last week, the Breakers suffered a 62-56 overtime loss to Calvary Chapel. For the second straight week, they couldn't maintain an early lead.

A big offensive line opened holes throughout the night for the Grizzlies who wore down the Breakers to win their first league game.

"We just couldn't stop them," Laguna Coach Corey Brown said. "They had a good game plan and stuck to it all night.

"It was 13-10 at halftime, and they scored 33 points in the second half. It was a combination of a lot of things, but Godinez played well tonight."

Laguna, ranked ninth in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division and now 2-2 in league and 5-4 overall, came into the game hobbled by injuries. Among starters not playing Thursday were inside linebacker Brett Tracy, and outside linebacker Adam Lythgoe.

The Breakers dressed nine freshman for the game.

"We had a lot of injuries coming into tonight, but I give credit to Godinez," Brown said. "We were overmatched. They did a great job all night with the power run."

Laguna running back Nathan Lancaster carried the ball 23 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns. A week ago, the senior ran for an Orange County single-game rushing record of 547 yards in a loss to Calvary Chapel.

Lancaster had 141 yards and a TD by halftime, despite being keyed on all game by the Godinez defense.

The Breakers, as they did a week ago against Calvary Chapel, opened up an early, double-digit lead on Godinez (4-5, 1-3). A 24-yard field goal by freshman kicker Bruce Knill put the Breakers in front, 3-0, with 2:49 left in the first quarter, and a one-yard run by Lancaster less than a minute into the second quarter, extended the lead to 10-0.

The Grizzlies, however, turned to their run game and went on to score the next 27 points.

The spree started with a 33-yard touchdown run by running back Ronnie Trujillo just four plays after Lancaster's score. It continued when Trujillo ran in for his second score on a three-yard run with 2:45 left in the half. The Grizzlies had a golden opportunity to increase their lead after defensive lineman Joel Jaramillo recovered a fumble at the Laguna 35, but after reaching the five, Trujillo fumbled the ball back with 36 seconds until halftime.

The Breakers trailed 13-10 at the break.

The Grizzlies stuck to the ground in the second half where they took charge. A one-yard sneak by quarterback Zachary Huizar on the opening possession of the half, took the score to 20-10. During the scoring drive, Trujillo was injured and was helped off the field.

He never returned, but the Grizzlies didn't miss a beat.

They got the ball back three plays later when Abel Ramirez recovered a fumble at the Laguna 35. Five plays later, Huizar found wide open wide receiver Pedro Leon at the five, and Leon went in for the score on a 28-yard pass on a fourth-and-three play.

Laguna answered on its next drive when quarterback Jack Simon scored from a yard out on a keeper to pull the Breakers within 27-17, but Godinez came right back to go up, 34-17. The Grizzlies turned to another sophomore running back, Nathan Jordan, to take over for the injured Trujillo. Jordan was called upon on six of the first seven plays of a 13-play, 60-yard drive that ended on an eight-yard touchdown run by Huizar on fourth-and-two with 8:46 left in the fourth quarter.

The teams again traded scores, with Laguna getting to within 34-24 with 7:04 remaining when Lancaster scored on a three-yard run. Jordan, who finished with 145 yards, ran seven consecutive plays on Godinez's ensuing drive which he later capped with a tackle-breaking, 13-yard scoring run. The Grizzlies led, 40-24, with 1:59 left.

Godinez recovered a short kick moments later and following a 33-yard run to the Laguna seven by Jordan, scored their final touchdown on a two-yard keeper by Huizar with 48 seconds to play.

Laguna completes league play and its regular season with its Senior Night game Nov. 8 against Costa Mesa at Guyer Field. The Breakers will go up against one of the league's top runners in Mustangs tailback Oronde Crenshaw.

"He's a real good one," Brown said of Crenshaw, who is also a defensive standout at linebacker. "We have to stop their run game, if we hope to win. If we expect to win, we have to play our best football of the season."

Costa Mesa plays host to Calvary Chapel Friday in a showdown for first place at Jim Scott Stadium at Estancia. Both the Mustangs and Calvary Chapel enter the game 3-0 in league play.